In the last hundred years, as a result of human production activities in the biosphere, such changes have occurred, which in scale can be equated to natural disasters. They cause irreversible changes in ecological systems and components of the biosphere. Environmental problems, the solution of which is associated with the elimination of the negative impact of human activity on the scale of the biosphere, are called global environmental problems.

Global environmental problems do not arise in isolation and do not suddenly fall on the natural environment. They are formed gradually as a result of the accumulation of negative impacts of industrial production on the natural environment.

The stages of the formation of global environmental problems can be represented in the following sequence: environmental problems that arise on the scale of an individual enterprise, industrial region, region, country, continent and the globe. This sequence is quite natural, since industrial enterprises in different countries of the world producing the same products emit the same pollutants into the environment.

The most pressing global environmental problems to date are:

Growth in the population of the Earth;

Enhancing the greenhouse effect;

Destruction of the ozone layer;

Pollution of the World Ocean;

Reduction of rainforest area;

Desertification of fertile lands;

Freshwater pollution.

Let's consider global environmental problems in more detail.

1. Growth in the population of the Earth

It is believed that in the next 4-5 decades the population of the Earth will double and stabilize at the level of 10-11 billion people. These years will be the most difficult and especially risky in the relationship between man and nature.

Rapid population growth in developing countries poses a great threat to the natural environment due to the fact that barbaric methods of destruction of tropical forests are used in the creation of new arable land. To provide the growing population with food, all kinds of methods of catching and destroying wild animals, inhabitants of the seas and oceans will be used.

In addition, the growth in the world's population is accompanied by a colossal increase in the volume of household waste. Suffice it to recall that for every inhabitant of the planet, one ton of household waste is generated annually, including 52 kg of difficult-to-decompose polymer waste.

The growth of the Earth's population necessitates an intensification of the impact on the natural environment during the extraction of minerals, an increase in the volume of production in various industries, an increase in the number of vehicles, an increase in the consumption of energy, natural resources, such as water, air, forests and minerals.

2. Strengthening the greenhouse effect

One of the important environmental problems of our time is the strengthening of the greenhouse effect. The essence of the greenhouse effect is as follows. As a result of pollution of the surface layer of the atmosphere, especially by the products of combustion of carbon and hydrocarbon fuels, the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases in the air increases.

As a result, the infrared radiation of the earth's surface, heated by the direct rays of the Sun, is absorbed by the molecules of carbon dioxide and methane, which leads to an increase in their thermal motion, and, consequently, an increase in the temperature of the atmospheric air of the surface layer. In addition to carbon dioxide and methane molecules, the greenhouse effect is also observed when atmospheric air is polluted with chlorofluorocarbons.

The greenhouse effect plays both positive and negative roles. So, the direct rays of the Sun heat the earth's surface only up to 18 ° C, which is not enough for the normal life of many species of plants and animals. Due to the greenhouse effect, the surface layer of the atmosphere is heated additionally by 13-15 ° C, which significantly expands the optimal conditions for the life of many species. The greenhouse effect also mitigates the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. In addition, it serves as a protective belt to prevent heat dissipation of the surface layer of the atmosphere into space.

The negative side of the greenhouse effect is that as a result of the accumulation of carbon dioxide, a warming of the Earth's climate can occur, which can lead to the melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice and an increase in the level of the World Ocean by 50-350 cm, and, consequently, flooding of the low-lying fertile lands where seven-tenths of the world's population.

3. Destruction of the ozone layer

It is known that the ozone layer of the atmosphere is located at an altitude of 20-45 km. Ozone is a caustic and poisonous gas, and its maximum permissible concentration in the atmospheric air is 0.03 mg / m 3.

In the troposphere, ozone is formed during the course of various physical and chemical phenomena. So, during a thunderstorm, it is formed under the action of lightning according to the following scheme:

0 2 + E m "20; 0 2 + O> 0 3,

where E m is the heat energy of lightning.

At the shores of seas and oceans, ozone is formed as a result of the oxidation of algae washed ashore by a wave; in coniferous forests, ozone is formed as a result of the oxidation of pine resin by atmospheric oxygen.

In the ground layer, ozone promotes the formation of photochemical smog and has a destructive effect on polymeric materials. For example, under the influence of ozone, the surface of car tires quickly cracks, the rubber becomes fragile and brittle. The same thing happens with synthetic leather.

In the stratosphere, ozone creates a uniform 25 km thick protective layer around the globe.

Ozone is formed when molecular oxygen interacts with the sun's ultraviolet rays:

0 2 -> 20; 0 2 + O> 0 3.

In the stratosphere, the generated ozone plays two roles. The first is that ozone absorbs most of the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays, which are harmful to living organisms. The second important role is to create a heat belt, which is formed:

Due to the release of heat during the formation of ozone molecules from oxygen under the influence of sunlight;

Due to the absorption of hard ultraviolet rays and infrared radiation from the sun by ozone molecules.

Such a heat belt prevents heat leakage from the troposphere and lower stratosphere into outer space.

Despite the fact that ozone is constantly being formed in the stratosphere, its concentration does not increase. If ozone were compressed at a pressure equal to the pressure at the Earth's surface, the thickness of the ozone layer would not exceed 3 mm.

The concentration of ozone in the stratosphere over the past 25 years has decreased by more than 2%, and over North America - by 3-5%. This is the result of pollution of the upper atmosphere with nitrogen and chlorine-containing gases.

It is believed that a decrease in the concentration of ozone in the protective layer is the cause of skin cancers and cases of eye cataracts.

One of the dangerous destroyers of the ozone layer are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in pulverizers: and refrigeration units. The widespread use of CFCs as refrigerant and spray is due to the fact that they are harmless gases under normal conditions. Due to the high stability in the troposphere, CFC molecules accumulate in it and gradually rise into the stratosphere, despite their higher density compared to air. The following paths of their ascent into the stratosphere have been established:

Absorption of CFCs by moisture and rise with it to the stratosphere, followed by release during freezing of moisture in the high-altitude layers;

Convection and diffusion of large air masses due to natural physical and chemical processes;

The formation of craters during the launch of space rockets, sucking in large volumes of air in the surface layer and raising these volumes of air to the heights of the ozone layer.

By now, CFC molecules have already been seen at an altitude of 25 km.

CFC molecules will interact with the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays, releasing chlorine radicals:

CC1 2 F 2> -CClF 2 + Cb

CI- + 0 3> "CU + 0 2

СЮ + О - »О + 0 2

It can be seen that the C10 chloroxide radical interacts with an oxygen atom, which should have reacted with molecular oxygen to form ozone.

One chlorine radical destroys up to 100 thousand ozone molecules. In addition, the interaction with atomic oxygen, which, in the absence of chlorine, participates in the reaction with molecular oxygen, slows down the process of ozone formation from atmospheric oxygen. At the same time, the concentration of the ozone layer can be reduced by 7-13%, which can cause negative changes in life on Earth. In addition, chlorine is a very persistent catalyst for the destruction of ozone molecules.

It has been established that the cause of the ozone hole over Antarctica is the ingress of chlorine-containing compounds and nitrogen oxides into the stratosphere in the exhaust gases of high-altitude aviation and space rockets for launching satellites and spacecraft into orbit.

Prevention of the destruction of the ozone layer is possible when the emission of CFCs into the atmospheric air is stopped by replacing it in spray guns and refrigeration units with other liquids that do not pose a threat to the ozone layer.

In some developed countries, the production of CFCs has already been discontinued, in other countries, the search for effective substitutes for CFCs in refrigeration units is underway. For example, in Russia, Stinol refrigerators are charged not with CFCs, but with hexane, a practically harmless hydrocarbon. In Kazan, the Khiton enterprise uses a mixture of propane-butane and compressed air to fill aerosol cans instead of CFCs.

4. Pollution of the World Ocean

The oceans are a colossal heat accumulator, carbon dioxide sink and moisture source. It has a tremendous impact on the climatic conditions of the entire globe.

At the same time, the World Ocean is intensively polluted by industrial discharges, oil products, toxic chemical waste, radioactive waste and acid gases falling in the form of acid rain.

The greatest danger is posed by the pollution of the World Ocean by oil and oil products. Losses of oil in the world during its production, transportation, processing and consumption exceed 45 million tons, which is about 1.2% of the annual production. Of these, 22 million tons are lost on land, up to 16 million tons are released into the atmosphere due to incomplete combustion of petroleum products during the operation of automobile and aircraft engines.

About 7 million tons of oil is lost in the seas and oceans. It was found that 1 liter of oil deprives 40 m 3 of oxygen of water and can lead to the destruction of a large number of fish fry and other marine organisms. When the concentration of oil in water is 0.1-0.01 ml / l, fish eggs die in a few days. One ton of oil can pollute 12 km 2 of the water surface.

Space imagery has recorded that almost 30% of the surface of the World Ocean is covered with an oil film, especially the waters of the Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and their shores are polluted.

Oil enters the seas and oceans:

When loading and unloading oil tankers capable of simultaneously transporting up to 400 thousand tons of oil;

In case of tanker accidents leading to the spilling of tens and hundreds of thousands of tons of oil into the sea;

When extracting oil from the seabed and during accidents at wells located on platforms above water. For example, in the Caspian Sea, some drilling and oil production platforms are 180 km offshore. Consequently, in the event of oil leakage at sea, pollution will occur not only near the coastal zone, which is convenient for eliminating the consequences of pollution, but will cover large areas in the middle of the sea.

The consequences of pollution of the oceans are very serious. First, surface contamination with an oil film leads to a decrease in the absorption of carbon dioxide and its accumulation in the atmosphere. Secondly, plankton, fish and other inhabitants of aquatic environments die in the seas and oceans. Thirdly, large oil spills on the surface of the seas and oceans are the cause of the death of a large number of migratory birds. From a bird's eye view, these spots are similar to the surface of the land. Birds sit down to rest on the polluted surface of the water and drown.

However, oil in ocean water does not last long. It was found that in one month up to 80% of oil products are destroyed in the ocean, while some of them evaporate, some are emulsified (biochemical decomposition of oil products occurs in emulsions), and some undergo photochemical oxidation.

5. Reduction of forest area

One hectare of tropical rainforest produces 28 tons of oxygen per year during photosynthesis. At the same time, the forest absorbs a large amount of carbon dioxide and thereby prevents the strengthening of the greenhouse effect. Although rainforests occupy only 7% of the earth's land area, they account for 4/5 of the planet's vegetation.

The loss of forests can lead to the formation of desert lands with a harsh climate. An example of this is the Sahara Desert.

According to scientists, 8 thousand years ago the territory of the Sahara Desert was covered with tropical forests and dense green vegetation, there were numerous deep rivers. The Sahara was an earthly paradise for humans and wild animals. This is evidenced by the rock paintings depicting elephants, giraffes and wild animals that have survived to this day.

The intensive growth of the population of developing countries has led to the fact that 120 thousand km 2 of tropical forests disappear from the Earth's surface every year. According to scientists and experts, if the current rate of deforestation of tropical forests continues, they will disappear in the first half of the next century.

Deforestation in developing countries has the following objectives:

Getting marketable solid wood;

Release of land for growing crops.

These goals are aimed at overcoming food shortages for the growing population. In most cases, tropical forests are first cut down, marketable timber is harvested, the volume of which does not exceed 10% of the cut forest. Then, following the loggers, the territory is cleared from forest residues and land areas are formed for farming.

However, the thickness of the fertile soil layer in tropical forests does not exceed 2-3 cm, therefore, in two years (or a maximum of five years), the fertility of such soil is completely depleted. Soil restoration occurs only after 20-30 years. As a result, the destruction of tropical forests to create new arable land has no prospect. At the same time, the desperate situation associated with intensive population growth does not allow the governments of developing countries to prohibit the deforestation of tropical forests, which can only be achieved through the efforts of the entire world community.

There are many ways to solve the problem of preserving tropical forests, and among them the most realistic are the following:

Increase in timber prices as they are currently so low that timber revenues are not sufficient to finance the reforestation of deforested areas. In addition, high-quality timber does not exceed 10% of the volume of cut wood;

Development of tourism and getting more income from it than from agriculture. However, this requires the creation of special national parks, which requires significant capital investments.

6. Land desertification

In general, land desertification occurs for the following reasons.

Overgrazing. Large numbers of cattle in a small pasture can destroy all vegetation, leaving bare soil. Such soil is easily exposed to wind and water erosion.

Simplification of ecological systems. In the transition zone from the Sahara desert to the savannas of West Africa, up to 400 km wide, shepherds burn out bushes, believing that fresh green grass will grow after the fire. However, negative results are often obtained. The fact is that shrubs feed on moisture from deep soil layers and protect the soil from wind erosion.

Intensive exploitation of arable land. Farmers often reduce crop rotation by not leaving their fields to rest. As a result, the soil is depleted and exposed to wind erosion.

Procurement of firewood. In developing countries, firewood is used for heat, cooking, and for sale. Therefore, forests are intensively cut down, and on the site of the former forest, rapidly spreading soil erosion begins. The island of Haiti is a typical example. It was once an earthly paradise for humans and animals, but in recent years, due to a sharp increase in population, forests have been intensively destroyed on the island, and part of the soil has entered a state of desertification.

Salinization- this type of desertification is typical for irrigated lands. As a result of the evaporation of water from irrigation systems, water saturated with salts, that is, saline solutions, remains in them. As they accumulate, the plants stop growing and die. In addition, hard salt crusts form on the soil surface. Examples of salinization are the deltas of the Senegal and Niger rivers, the valley of Lake Chad, the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, cotton plantations in Uzbekistan.

Every year, from 50 to 70 thousand km 2 of arable land is lost due to desertification.

The consequences of desertification are food shortages and hunger.

Desertification control includes:

Limiting grazing of cattle and reducing the pace of agricultural activity;

Using agroforestry - planting trees that have green leaves in the dry season;

Development of a special technology for growing agricultural products and training farmers to work effectively.

7. Contamination of fresh water

Pollution of fresh water causes its shortage not due to absence, but due to the impossibility of consumption for drinking. In general, water can be scarce only in the desert. However, at present, clean fresh water is becoming rare even in those regions where there are rivers that are full of water, but polluted by industrial discharges. It has been established that 1 m 3 of waste water can pollute 60 m 3 of pure river water.

The main danger of pollution of reservoirs with wastewater is associated with a decrease in the concentration of dissolved oxygen below 8-9 mg / l. Under these conditions, eutrophication of the water body begins, leading to the death of the inhabitants of aquatic environments.

There are three types of drinking water pollution:

Contamination with inorganic chemicals - nitrates, salts of heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury;

Contamination with organic substances such as pesticides and petroleum products;

Contamination by pathogens and microorganisms.

Measures to eliminate contamination of drinking water sources include:

Reducing wastewater discharge into water bodies;

Use of closed water circulation cycles at industrial enterprises;

Creation of efficiently used state water reserves.

Sources of environmental pollution

Pollution is the introduction into the ecological system of new, uncharacteristic for it physical, chemical and biological agents or the excess of the natural average long-term level of these agents in the natural environment.

The direct objects of pollution are the constituent parts of the biosphere - the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. Indirect objects of pollution are components of ecological systems, such as plants, microorganisms and fauna.

Hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds are pollutants in the natural environment. At the same time, toxic substances, radioactive substances, and salts of heavy metals pose a particular danger.

Pollutants from different emission sources can be the same in composition, physicochemical and toxic properties.

Thus, sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere as part of the flue gases of thermal power plants that burn fuel oil and coal; off-gases from refineries; waste gases from metallurgical enterprises; waste of sulfuric acid production.

Nitrogen oxides are part of the flue gases during the combustion of all types of fuel, waste (tail) gases from the production of nitric acid, ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers.

Hydrocarbons enter the atmosphere as part of emissions from enterprises of the oil-extracting, oil-refining and petrochemical industries, transport, heat and power engineering and gas-extracting industries, during the extraction of coal.

Sources of pollution can be of natural and anthropogenic origin.

Anthropogenic pollution includes pollution arising from the production activities of people and in their daily life. Unlike natural pollution, anthropogenic pollution enters the natural environment continuously, which leads to the accumulation of pollutants with the formation of high local concentrations that have a harmful effect on flora and fauna.

In turn, anthropogenic pollution is subdivided into physical, chemical and microbiological groups. Each of these groups is characterized by a variety of pollution sources and characteristics of environmental pollutants.

1. Physical pollution

Physical pollution includes the following types of environmental pollution: thermal, light, noise, electromagnetic and radioactive. Let's consider each type in more detail.

Thermal pollution occurs as a result of a local increase in the temperature of the air, water body or soil due to industrial emissions of heated gases or air, discharges of warm industrial or waste water into water bodies, as well as the laying of ground and underground heating mains.

It has been established that about 90% of the world's electricity (in the Russian Federation - 80%) is produced at thermal power plants. For this, about 7 billion tons of standard fuel is burned annually. At the same time, the efficiency of thermal power plants is only 40%. Consequently, 60% of the heat from fuel combustion is dissipated in the environment, including when discharging warm water into water bodies.

The essence of thermal pollution of water bodies in the production of electrical energy is as follows. The high temperature and pressure water vapor generated in the furnace of a thermal power plant when burning fuel rotates the turbine of a thermal power plant. After that, one part of the waste steam is used to heat residential and industrial premises, and the other is collected in condensers due to the transfer of heat to the cooling water coming from the reservoir. The condensate is again fed to obtain high-pressure steam to rotate the turbine, and the heated water is discharged into the reservoir, which leads to an increase in its temperature. Therefore, thermal pollution leads to a decrease in the number of different types of plant and living organisms in water bodies.

If there is no reservoir next to the thermal power plant, then the cooling water, which was heated by steam condensation, is supplied to cooling towers, which are structures in the form of a truncated cone for cooling hot water with atmospheric air. Numerous vertical beds are located inside the cooling towers. As the water flows downward in a thin layer over the plates, its temperature gradually decreases.

The cooled water is again supplied to condense the exhaust steam. During the operation of cooling towers, a large amount of water vapor is released into the atmospheric air, which leads to a local increase in humidity and temperature of the surrounding atmospheric air.

An example of thermal pollution of aquatic ecological systems is the reservoir of the Zainsk thermal power plant, which does not freeze even in the most severe frosts due to the discharge of industrial warm water into it in large quantities.

Light pollution. It is known that light pollution of the natural environment disturbs the illumination of the earth's surface during the change of day and night, and, consequently, the adaptability of plants and animals to these conditions. Artificial light sources in the form of powerful searchlights along the perimeters of the territories of some industrial enterprises can have a negative impact on the vital activity of flora and fauna.

Noise pollution is formed as a result of an increase in the intensity and frequency of noise above natural levels. The adaptation of living organisms to noise is practically impossible.

Noise is characterized by frequency and sound pressure. Sounds perceived by the human ear are in the frequency range from 16 to 20,000 Hz. This range is called the audio frequency range. Sound waves with a frequency below 20 Hz are called infrasound, and above 20,000 Hz, ultrasound. It was found that infrasound and ultrasound are dangerous for humans and living organisms. For practical applications, a logarithmic scale for measuring the sound pressure level of noise, measured in decibels (dB), is convenient.

It is known that the upper limit of noise, which does not cause inconvenience to a person and does not have a harmful effect on his body, is the sound pressure level equal to 50-60 dB. Such noise is typical for a street of average busyness, for poor normal operation of radio and television equipment. Noise exceeding these values ​​leads to noise pollution of the environment. So, the noise of a truck is 70 dB, the operation of a metal-cutting machine, a loudspeaker at maximum power is 80 dB, the noise when the ambulance siren is turned on and in a subway car has a sound pressure of 90 dB. Heavy rolling thunder creates a 120 dB noise, and a painful jet engine noise of 130 dB.

Electromagnetic pollution is a change in the electromagnetic properties of the natural environment near power lines, radio and television stations, industrial installations and radar devices.

Radioactive contamination is an increase in the natural background of radioactivity caused by anthropogenic activity or its consequences. Thus, the normal operation of a nuclear power plant can be considered as anthropogenic activity, while the radioactive gas krypton-85, which is safe for people, is released, which has a half-life of 13 years. At the same time, it ionizes the air and pollutes the environment.

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant can be viewed as a consequence of anthropogenic activity. In such accidents, the danger is posed by radioactive iodine-131 with a half-life of 8 days, which is able to accumulate in the human thyroid gland instead of ordinary iodine.

Other dangerous radioactive elements are cesium, plutonium and strontium, which have long half-lives and lead to radioactive contamination of large areas. The half-lives of cesium-137 and strontium-95 are 30 years.

The main sources of radioactive contamination of the natural environment are nuclear explosions, atomic energy and scientific research using radioactive substances.

Radioactive contamination of the natural environment leads to an increase in the impact of alpha, beta and gamma radiation on flora and fauna.

An alpha particle (the nucleus of a helium atom) and a beta particle (electron) can enter human and animal organisms as part of dust, water or food. As charged particles, they cause ionization in the tissues of the body. As a result, free radicals are formed in the body, the interaction of which leads to biochemical changes. With a slow course of such changes, favorable conditions can be created for the occurrence of oncological diseases.

Gamma radiation has a very high penetrating ability and easily penetrates the entire thickness of the human body, damaging it. It has been proven that mammals, including humans, are most sensitive to radioactive radiation. Plants and some lower vertebrates are less sensitive to radioactive effects. Microorganisms are the most resistant to radioactive radiation.

2. Chemical pollution

The most widespread and causing great harm to the natural environment is the chemical pollution of the biosphere.

Chemical pollution, unlike other types of pollution, is characterized by the interaction of pollutants with components of the natural environment. As a result, substances are formed that can be more or less harmful than the environmental pollutants themselves.

The most common chemical pollutants in the atmosphere are gaseous substances such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, dust, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, ammonia, chlorine and its compounds, mercury.

Chemical pollutants of the hydrosphere include oil, industrial waste water containing phenols and other highly toxic organic compounds, heavy metal salts, nitrites, sulfates, and surfactants.

Chemical pollutants of the lithosphere are oil, pesticides, solid and liquid wastewater from chemical industries.

Chemical pollutants of the natural environment also include poisonous substances, or chemical weapons. The explosion of a projectile with a chemical weapon covers large areas of extremely toxic substances and poses a threat of poisoning people, animals and the destruction of plants.

3. Microbiological contamination

Microbiological pollution of the natural environment is understood as the appearance of a large number of pathogens associated with their mass reproduction on anthropogenic nutrient media, changed in the course of human economic activity.

Various bacteria, as well as viruses and fungi can be found in the atmospheric air. Many of these microorganisms can be pathogenic and cause infectious diseases such as influenza, scarlet fever, whooping cough, chickenpox, and tuberculosis.

In the water of open reservoirs, various microorganisms are also found, including pathogens, which usually cause intestinal diseases. In the tap water of centralized water supply, the content of coliform bacteria is regulated by the Sanitary Rules and Regulations “Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for water quality in centralized drinking water supply systems. Quality control "(SanPin 2.1.4.1074-01).

The soil cover contains a large number of microorganisms, especially saprophytes and opportunistic pathogens. At the same time, in highly contaminated soil, there can be bacteria that cause gas gangrene, tetanus, botulism, etc. The most resistant microorganisms can be in the soil for a long time - up to 100 years. They also include anthrax pathogens.

Environmental problems can be called a number of factors that mean the degradation of the natural environment around us. They are often caused by direct human activity. With the development of industry, problems have emerged that are directly related to the imbalance previously established in the ecological environment, which are difficult to compensate.

The world is diverse. Today the situation in the world is such that we are on the verge of collapse. Among the ecology, we can mention such as:

Destruction of thousands of species of animals and plants, an increase in the number of endangered species;

Reducing the stock of minerals and other vital resources;

Extermination of the forest;

Pollution and drainage of the world's oceans;

Disruption of the ozone layer, which protects us from radiation from space;

Air pollution, lack of clean air in some areas;

Natural landscape pollution.

Today, there is practically no surface left on which elements artificially created by man are not located. The perniciousness of the influence of man as a consumer on nature is also undeniable. The mistake is that the world around us is not only a source of wealth and various resources. Man has lost his philosophical attitude to nature as to the mother of all living things.

The problems of our time lie in the fact that we are not brought up to take care of it. Man as a being in itself is selfish, creates conditions for his own comfort, violating and destroying nature. We do not think that by doing so we harm ourselves. It is for this reason that today it is necessary to pay special attention not so much to the solution of environmental problems as to the education of man as a part of nature.

Environmental problems are initially divided according to the level of their magnitude into regional, local and global. An example of a local problem is a factory that does not clean the effluent before it is discharged into the river, and thus pollutes the water and destroys the living organisms that live in this water. Speaking of regional problems, the well-known situation in Chernobyl can be cited as an example. The tragedy affected thousands of lives of people, as well as animals and other biological organisms that previously lived in this area. And finally, global problems are those critical situations that affect the population of the entire planet and can be deadly for millions of us.

The world's environmental problems today require immediate solutions. First of all, as mentioned above, it is worth paying attention to Having come to harmony with nature, people will stop treating it exclusively as a consumer. Further, it is necessary to take a number of measures for general greening. This will require the development of new environmentally friendly technologies in production and in everyday life, an ecological examination of all new projects is needed, and a closed cycle is required.

Returning to the human factor, it is worth mentioning that the ability to save and limit yourself will not hurt here either. Reasonable use of resources such as energy, water, gas, etc. can save the planet from scarcity. It is worth knowing and remembering that while you have clean water in your tap, some countries suffer from drought, and the population of these countries is dying from a lack of fluid.

The world's environmental problems can and should be addressed. Remember that the preservation of nature and a healthy future of the planet depends exclusively on ourselves! Of course, prosperity is impossible without the use of resources, but it is worth thinking about the fact that oil and gas may run out in a few decades. The environmental problems of the world affect everyone and everyone, do not remain indifferent!

Ecological problems in Russia are the object of close attention from the state and scientists. On the territory of one of the largest states in the world, there are many unique natural complexes that are of great importance not only for the country, but for the entire planet. The ecological situation in Russia is threatened by the same factors that all states face, and they are associated with the expansion of civilized spaces, the use of the planet's resources by man, the development of industry and the problems of pollution.

Major environmental issues

The environmental problems most urgent for the country can be divided into the following groups:

• industrial pollution of air, soil, water;
• changes in the natural landscape, deforestation;
• the complex negative impact on the environment of large cities;
• large volumes of waste incinerated and stored;
• consequences of man-made disasters.

Regarding all of the above factors, constant monitoring and supervision are carried out, measures are being developed to minimize harm to the environment. But the measures taken are not always enough to solve the problem completely.

Environmental pollution situation

A huge number of industrial enterprises operate on the territory of Russia, the activities of which adversely affect the state of not only the territories located in their vicinity, but can also affect the ecology of entire regions.

Any production can cause harm to the environment, but the following industries are the most problematic for the environmental situation:

• extraction of minerals, oil;
• energy;
• metallurgy;
• production of plastic and other building materials;
• military industrial enterprises.

Their emissions and waste are released into the air and water. Rivers and wind carry harmful substances over great distances. Falling out together with precipitation, they also poison the soil. As a result of the development of deposits, the natural landscape changes, dips and landslides are formed. All this has a negative impact not only on the state of the atmosphere, but also on the health of people living in areas affected by pollution. Soils on the territories of the deposits become unsuitable for agriculture and housing construction for a long time.

In large cities, the situation is exacerbated by exhaust emissions and increased electricity costs. This affects the state of the planet's ozone layer. Recent studies show that excess of the standard for the content of exhaust gases in the air is observed in more than 40 cities of Russia.

Environmental problems are also associated with waste disposal. Radioactive contamination of soils in landfills has a long-term character and even after their elimination, the land in this place is unusable for decades. This means that for life, a person needs more and more new areas.

Damage to the soil

For many years, agriculture has used fertilizers and pest control products that harm the environment. It also led to severe chemical poisoning of the soil, the effects of which have not yet been neutralized.

In Russia, in recent decades, industrial and agricultural enterprises and fuel producers have been faced with requirements that force them to provide high-quality waste treatment and environmental safety of production. But these requirements are not always met in full.

The economic crisis is forcing organizations to save even more on environmental compliance costs. This is a serious environmental problem in modern Russia - to ensure the implementation of legislation in terms of environmental protection and to develop standards appropriate to the current situation.

Ecology of water resources, forests

Forests and reservoirs are invaluable natural treasures that allow you to maintain a natural balance, cleanse the atmosphere of harmful substances, and produce oxygen necessary for life.

A characteristic trend in recent years is the constant reduction of forest areas as a result of uncontrolled felling and timber harvesting. This means the destruction of protected areas where animals and birds live, unique species of plants and trees. The replenishment of the forest fund occurs at a much slower pace than its deforestation.

In addition to industrial use, forests are threatened by the expansion of settlements, the construction of transport routes. In many territories, which are unique natural complexes, protected areas have been created, which are prohibited to use. But this is not enough for environmental protection and for solving the ecological problem of deforestation.

Not only in Russia, but throughout the world, there is an acute issue with the state of water resources, especially fresh water bodies. Rivers and seas are the most convenient ways for businesses and cities to dispose of waste and wastewater. Strict requirements for their cleaning before dumping began to be imposed not so long ago. During this time, irreparable damage was caused. According to scientists, a little more than 10% of water bodies and rivers are conditionally clean in the country.

Effects of pollution

River pollution destroys existing ecosystems, leads to the death of animals, fish, plants. For humans, this ecological situation threatens to turn into a tangible shortage of usable water resources. Already, in some important water bodies of Russia, the content of harmful substances, pesticides, heavy metals is much higher than the permissible standards, which makes the use of water from them for food dangerous.

All treatment measures cannot provide one hundred percent purification of highly polluted waters. The recognition of water bodies and rivers as protected is happening slowly and often the situation is already critical by the time environmentalists are seeking a ban on waste dumping.

Urboecology

The ecological systems of large cities are characterized by an increased level of gas pollution, a lack of oxygen due to a small amount of greenery. Smoke and smog in Russian cities are not as catastrophic as in Chinese policies. But for the health of citizens living in them, the consequences in the form of diseases of the respiratory system, allergies and other consequences take place on a tangible scale. Bad air, food with pesticides cause many chronic diseases.

Measures to minimize urban environmental problems in Russia are being taken quite actively, but not in all cities this process is organized at the proper level. Large industrial centers and cities of Siberia and the Far East, where natural resources are extracted, are particularly affected.

Solving environmental problems

To solve environmental problems in Russia, various sets of measures are used:

Ways to Solve Environmental Problems in Russia

• recognition of lands and water bodies as protected areas, protection of them from pollution and use;
• restriction or prohibition on the use of certain types of natural resources: animals, plants, fish;
• stricter requirements for the disposal of chemical waste, purification of emitted gases, production products, wastewater;
• variable use of soil for agriculture with interruptions for the restoration of individual areas, implementation of measures for their cleaning;
• control of the number of vehicles in cities and the quality of fuel.

In addition to state control, improving the situation requires a conscious attitude to natural resources on the part of all citizens of the country. Reasonable use of natural and energy resources, correct disposal of garbage, land clearing allow you to avoid the aggravation of the environment.

One of the global problems of mankind is the constantly deteriorating state of its environment, the cause of which is itself. The increasingly active interaction between man and nature has led to ecosystem disruptions, many of which are irreversible. Thus, the ecological problem of mankind is that further thoughtless use of natural resources will lead to a catastrophe on a planetary scale.

Destruction of plants and animals

The technical civilization of our time has given rise to a lot of environmental problems that need to be considered separately.

Not all even global environmental problems of mankind can lead to such catastrophic consequences as this one. The global gene pool is becoming scarce and destroyed, and species diversity is being disrupted faster and faster. Now about 20 million species of flora and fauna live on Earth, but they also become victims of an unfavorable environment.

American ecologists made a report on their research, according to which over the past two centuries, our planet has lost 900 thousand species, which means that on average about 12 species become extinct every day!

Fig. 1. Extinction of species.

Deforestation

The rate of planting of green spaces cannot overtake the rate of their destruction, the scale of which is becoming catastrophic so that in the next hundred years people will literally have nothing to breathe. Moreover, the main enemy of the “lungs of the planet” is not even lumberjacks, but acid rains. Sulfur dioxide, which is emitted by power plants, is carried over long distances, falls out in the form of precipitation and kills trees. Any essay on this topic will show sad statistics - every year 10 million hectares of forests disappear on the planet, and the numbers are becoming more and more frightening.

Fig 2. Destruction of forests.

Reduction of mineral reserves

The uncontrolled and ever-increasing consumption of ore reserves and other gifts of the planet has led to a natural result - the ecology has been violated, and humanity is on the brink of a crisis. Mineral resources have been accumulating in the depths for a long time, but modern society is pumping out and digging them out incredibly quickly: for example, of the total amount of oil that has been produced, half is the result of the last 15 years of human activity. If you continue in the same spirit, it will last for several decades.

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Instead of using minerals as resources for generating energy, alternative and inexhaustible sources can be used for the same purpose - the sun, wind, and the heat of the bowels.

Pollution and destruction of the oceans

Without water, people will die out the same way as without air, but garbage is still a global problem for humanity. Garbage litters not only land, but also water spaces. Chemical waste is dumped into the ocean, killing animals, fish and plankton, vast areas covered in oil slick, and non-degradable synthetic waste turning into garbage islands. In short, this is not just environmental pollution, but a real disaster.

Rice. 3. Pollution of the World Ocean

What have we learned?

That the main environmental problems are associated with the oceans, resources, plants, animals and forests. But it is important not only what environmental problems are facing humanity, but also what consequences this can lead to. Disruption of the natural biocenosis and depletion of reserves that have been accumulating for millions of years are guaranteed to lead to the extinction of mankind.

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An environmental problem is a certain change in the state of the natural environment as a result of anthropogenic impact, leading to a failure in the structure and functioning of the natural system (landscape) and leading to negative economic, social or other consequences. This concept is anthropocentric, since negative transformations in nature are assessed in relation to the conditions of human existence.

Classification

Lands associated with disturbances in landscape components are conventionally divided into six categories:

Atmospheric (thermal, radiological, mechanical or chemical pollution of the atmosphere);

Aquatic (contamination of oceans and seas, depletion of both groundwater and surface waters);

Geological and geomorphological (activation of negative geological and geomorphological processes, deformation of the relief and geological structure);

Soil (soil contamination, secondary salinization, erosion, deflation, waterlogging, etc.);

Biotic (degradation of vegetation and forests, species, digression of pastures, etc.);

Landscape (complex) - deterioration of biodiversity, desertification, failure of the established regime of nature protection zones, etc.

According to the main environmental changes in nature, the following problems and situations are distinguished:

- Landscape genetic. They arise as a result of the loss of the gene pool and unique natural objects, violation of the integrity of the landscape system.

- Anthropoecological. Considered in relation to changes in the living conditions and health of people.

- Natural resources. Associated with the loss or depletion of natural resources, worsen the process of doing business in the affected area.

Additional division

Environmental problems of nature, in addition to the options presented above, can be classified as follows:

For the main reason for the occurrence - environmental transport, industrial, hydraulic engineering.

In terms of severity - mild, moderately acute, acute, extremely acute.

In terms of complexity - simple, complex, complex.

By solvability - solvable, difficult to solve, almost insoluble.

In terms of coverage of the affected areas - local, regional, planetary.

In time - short-term, long-term, practically not disappearing.

In terms of the scope of the region - the problems of the north of Russia, the Ural Mountains, tundra, etc.

Consequence of active urbanization

It is customary to call a city a socio-demographic and economic system that has a territorial complex of means of production, a permanent population, an artificially created habitat and an established form of organization of society.

The modern stage of human development is characterized by a rapid rate of growth in the number and size of settlements. Large cities with a population of more than one hundred thousand people are growing especially intensively. They occupy about one percent of the entire land area of ​​the planet, but their impact on the world economy and natural conditions is truly great. It is in their activities that the main causes of environmental problems lie. These limited areas are home to more than 45% of the world's population, producing about 80% of all emissions that pollute the hydrosphere and atmospheric air.

Environmental especially large ones, it is much more difficult to solve. The larger the settlement, the more significantly the natural conditions are transformed. If we compare it with the countryside, then in most megacities, the environmental conditions of people are noticeably worse.

According to ecologist Reimer, an environmental problem is any phenomenon associated with the impact of people on nature and with the reversible impact of nature on people and their vital processes.

Natural and landscape problems of the city

Most of these negative changes are associated with the degradation of the landscape of megacities. All components change under large settlements - groundwater and surface water, relief and geological structure, flora and fauna, soil cover, climatic features. The ecological problems of cities also consist in the fact that all living components of the system begin to adapt to rapidly changing conditions, which leads to a reduction in species diversity and a decrease in the area of ​​land plantations.

Resource and economic problems

They are associated with the huge scale of the use of natural resources, with their processing and the formation of toxic waste. The causes of environmental problems are human intervention in the natural landscape in the process of urban development and thoughtless waste disposal.

Anthropological problems

An environmental problem is not only about negative changes in natural systems. It can also consist in the deterioration of the health of the urban population. The decline in the quality of the urban environment entails the emergence of a variety of diseases. The nature and biological properties of people, which have been formed over more than one millennium, cannot change as quickly as the world around them. Inconsistencies between these processes often lead to a conflict between the environment and human nature.

Considering the causes of environmental problems, we note that the most important of them is the impossibility of rapid adaptation of organisms to the conditions of their environment, and adaptation is one of the main qualities of all living things. Attempts to influence the speed of this process do not lead to anything good.

Climate

An environmental problem is the result of the interaction of nature and society, which can lead to a global catastrophe. Currently, the following extremely negative changes are observed on our planet:

A huge volume of waste - 81% - is released into the atmosphere.

More than ten million square kilometers of land has been eroded and desertified.

The composition of the atmosphere is changing.

The density of the ozone layer is disrupted (for example, a hole appeared over Antarctica).

Over the past ten years, 180 million hectares of forest have disappeared from the face of the earth.

As a result, the height of its waters increases by two millimeters annually.

There is a constant growth in the consumption of natural resources.

Scientists have calculated that the biosphere has the ability to fully compensate for anthropogenic disturbances of natural natural processes if the consumption of primary biological products does not exceed one percent of the total volume, but at present this figure is close to ten percent. The compensatory capabilities of the biosphere are hopelessly undermined, as a result, the planet's ecology is constantly deteriorating.

The environmentally acceptable threshold for energy consumption is called an indicator of 1 TW / year. However, it is significantly exceeded, therefore, the favorable properties of the environment are destroyed. In fact, we can talk about the beginning of the third world war, which mankind is waging against nature. Everyone understands that there can be no winners in this confrontation.

Disappointing prospects

Global development is associated with a rapid growth in numbers To meet the ever-increasing needs, it is necessary to three times reduce the consumption of natural resources in countries with a high level of development and contribute to the improvement of the welfare of individual states. The upper limit is twelve billion people. If there are more people on the planet, then from three to five billion will simply be doomed to die of thirst and hunger every year.

Examples of environmental problems on a planetary scale

The development of the "greenhouse effect" has recently become an increasingly threatening process for the Earth. As a result, the heat balance of the planet changes and the average annual temperatures increase. The culprits of the problem are "greenhouse" gases, in particular, the consequence of global warming is the gradual melting of snow and glaciers, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the water level of the World Ocean.

Acidic precipitation

Sulfur dioxide was recognized as the main culprit for this negative phenomenon. The area of ​​negative impact of acidic precipitation is wide enough. They have already seriously affected many ecosystems, but most of all damage is done to plants. As a result, humanity may face the mass death of phytocenoses.

Insufficient amount of fresh water

A shortage of fresh water in some regions is observed due to the active development of agriculture and utilities, as well as industry. A significant role here is played, rather, not by the quantity, but by the quality of the natural resource.

Deterioration of the state of the "lungs" of the planet

Thoughtless destruction, deforestation and irrational use of forest resources have led to the emergence of another serious environmental problem. Forests are known to absorb greenhouse carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. For example, one ton of vegetation releases 1.1 to 1.3 tonnes of oxygen into the atmosphere.

The ozone layer is under attack

The destruction of the ozone layer of our planet is primarily associated with the use of freons. These gases are used in the assembly of refrigeration units and a variety of cartridges. Scientists have found that in the upper atmosphere, the thickness of the ozone layer is decreasing. A striking example of the problem is over Antarctica, the area of ​​which is constantly increasing and has already gone beyond the boundaries of the mainland.

Solving global environmental problems

Does humanity have the ability to escape scale? Yes. But this requires taking concrete steps.

Establish clear norms for the use of natural resources at the legislative level.

Actively apply centralized environmental protection measures. This can be, for example, uniform international rules and norms for the protection of climate, forests, the World Ocean, atmosphere, etc.

Centrally plan complex restoration work in order to solve the environmental problems of the region, city, village and other specific objects.

To foster ecological awareness and stimulate the moral development of the individual.

Conclusion

Technological progress is gaining more and more speed, there is a constant improvement of production processes, modernization of devices, the introduction of innovative technologies in a variety of areas. However, only a tiny fraction of the innovation concerns environmental protection.

It is very important to understand that only the complex interaction of representatives of all social groups and the state will help to improve the ecological situation on the planet. Now is the time to look back to realize what awaits us in the future.